‘We’ve got a total of twenty four participants, plus half a dozen others who say they were nearby at the time it happened.’
Smith looked tired, and irritable with it. He shook his head.
‘That’s not good enough, not good enough at all. There had to have been fifty in the scrum at the time it happened, minimum, so where are the others at? I want every witness interview to start by asking who else they knew who was in the game. Let’s see if we can’t get that total up, and quickly. I’m relying on you, Keith.’
‘Aye, boss.’
‘Right, Kenny. Get the tech support team collating all the CCTV that they can find, and we’ll go through it later. Then I need you to get the background enquiries started. By the time we meet again I want us to have a full picture of this dead kid. What he did, who he knew, whose gang he was in.’
‘If anyone’s, boss’ said Iredale.
‘Aye, that’s right. But our working hypothesis has to be that this kid was a soldier, probably for Moffett, and that one of Hayton’s lads killed him. And if that’s the case, and they think that they’ll get away with it because we won’t be able to identify exactly who it was who drowned the kid, then they’ve got another bloody thing coming. Because conspiracy to murder is what we’ll be looking at here, at least until we know different. And the benefit of that charge is that we might get to put a whole load of scum-bags away at the same time, and for a long time too. So there’s plenty to play for. All right, let’s get on with it.’
Smith hadn’t heard the phone ringing in his office as he was talking, so he was as surprised as anyone else when ACC Val Gorham walked into the room. She wasn’t a big woman, but she certainly got everyone’s attention. ‘DI Smith, if I could have a word.’
‘Certainly, ma’am.’ Smith wondered if he could reach his office before Gorham did, and reckoned that he could. But it would hardly be worth it, because there wasn’t a lot of tidying that he could do in five seconds. So he just held the door open instead.
‘Can I get you a coffee?’
Gorham glanced round the room, and then said that she wouldn’t have a drink. Smith already seemed to have the station’s entire stock of mugs on his desk anyway.
‘I’d like an update on the death last night. What are we looking at? An accidental death?’
‘Possibly, ma’am. It certainly has been known. But then it’s also been known for an Uppies and Downies scrum to actually go through the cinema right up in town, so pretty much anything is possible at this stage.’
Val Gorham didn’t smile, but Smith hadn’t really expected her to. They’d only met once before, at a senior manager’s conference, and she’d seemed about as warm, and every bit as stiff, as one of the frozen fish fingers that his kids loved so much.
‘So you’re treating the death as suspicious?’
‘Absolutely, for now at least. I expect you’re aware of the intelligence that we had regarding the power struggle between our two resident gang leaders? The word is that the game last night was supposed to be some kind of show of strength, to prove to the whole town that George Hayton is the main man round here now.’
‘I do hope that Superintendent Skinner is the main man round here, as you put it.’
‘Of course, ma’am. I meant in the criminal community.’
‘Is that really a likely explanation, Inspector? Some kind of gang battle? It seems a bit implausible.’
‘They don’t call this the wild west for nothing, ma’am.’
Smith hazarded a smile, but quickly realised that he’d hazarded in vain.
‘I do dislike stereotyping, Inspector. It makes for inefficient policing. But you’re probably wondering why it isn’t your own station commander who is sitting opposite you now?’
‘Yes, I am.’
‘I need to discuss your potential conflicts, DI Smith.’
‘What, because me and Kenny Hodgson were playing last night, ma’am? I’ve already explained that we had information concerning Moffett and Hayton.’
‘You have. May I see your risk assessment form, please?’
‘I haven’t had time to complete one yet, what with the death last night.’
‘I see. You are aware that the whole point of such a form is that it is completed in advance of an operation?’
Smith nodded. he couldn’t think of an excuse, and even if he could he wouldn’t have bothered.
‘And you’ve had this particular information for how long?’
‘Just a day or two. Something like that, anyway.’
‘That’s more than long enough to complete the risk assessment form. But you did discuss the situation with tactical of course? You must have decided not to deploy the armed response team. As a strategic decision, I mean.’
‘That’s right, ma’am.’
‘So you did discuss that decision with tactical, didn’t you? After all, we’re talking about serious public disorder here.’
‘No, ma’am. I didn’t think it was necessary. Like I say, Uppies and Downies always involves a bit of disorder. It’s the whole idea of the thing, in a way. And Moffett and Hayton aren’t stupid enough to start open warfare in front of hundreds of witnesses.’
‘And yet you still pulled a young man’s lifeless body out of that stream last night. Didn’t you, DI Smith?’
Smith didn’t reply. There didn’t seem to be much point. But surely Gorham hadn’t come all this way just to bollock him about his paperwork. All she had to do was read his appraisals, any of them, to know that had never been his strong point. It was what you had DCs for, anyway.
‘So let’s talk about your conflicts’ said Gorham, looking at him as intently as if he was suspected of murdering her mother. ‘I have a decision to make, and I wanted to talk to you before I made up my mind.’
‘And what’s that, ma’am?’
‘Whether you and DS Hodgson can continue to be involved in this investigation. Having spoken to you I have now arrived at my decision, I’m afraid.’
Smith tried not to look as angry as he felt ‘But ma’am, we’re the blokes on the ground. We know the people. Christ, it was us who saw this coming.’
‘And that’s one of the reasons that I’ve decided to remove you from this investigation, just as soon as a new SIO can be appointed.’
‘But ma’am..’
‘I don’t expect my decisions to be questioned, Inspector. And please do bear in mind that in due course there will be an inquiry into the way in which you both prepared for and carried through the operation last night. I’m not going to say that your apparent flouting of procedure led to this young man’s death, but it may have been a contributory factor. As a result, you could easily be conflicted, as a natural causes cause of death and a no-crime outcome would be very much in your interests, and in those of DS Hodgson.’
‘But I’ve just told the troops that I think that the kid could have been involved with one of the gangs, ma’am.’
‘I appreciate that, Inspector, but you weren’t subject to an investigation at that point, were you?’
‘So what next, ma’am?’
‘You continue to run the investigation until you are relieved. Brief your DS on what I’ve said, but no-one else. You’ll be contacted by the new SIO just as soon as he or she has been appointed. But please ensure that all approved investigative procedures are followed in the meantime. I hope I make myself clear?’
‘You do, ma’am. So who’s it to be? Andy Hall, I expect.’
‘He’s certainly one option. What makes you suggest him?’
‘It’s not a suggestion, ma’am. Not at all. But he is the blue-eyed boy. We all know that, even out here.’
‘DCI Hall does have a record of running successful investigations, but I don’t do favouritism. That’s just another word for cronyism, and that’s something I don’t have any time for. Because cronyism is a way of disguising prejudice, self-interest and lazy judgements. And the next step after cronyism is corruption.’
‘I’ll
bear that in mind, ma’am.’ Smith paused. ‘If there’s nothing else, I’ve got an investigation to run. At least for now, anyway.’
Sunday, 20th April
Jane Francis had been sitting in casualty for what felt like hours. She glanced at her watch. She was right: it was hours. She was bored, but she was beginning to feel certain that her decision not to tell Andy just to man up after he’d fallen off his bike had been a good one. She had been tempted though, and she might even have hinted at it as an idea. His knee had been pretty swollen by the time that they’d arrived at A&E though, and he barely smiled when she’d said that his new fitness regime had got off to a bad start. But since he’d fallen off within fifty yards of the house that was, quite literally, true.
When he was brought back out in a wheelchair she thought that he had a bit of an ‘I told you so’ expression on his face, although he was always hard to read, even now.
‘Sorry I was so long. They had to call the consultant in to see if I needed an op right away.’
‘And do you?’
‘No. I’ve got to rest it up for a week or two, and then they’ll do another scan and decide.’
‘So you’ve got to keep of it completely?’
‘Yes. I’m sorry to load you up with extra work.’
She didn’t mind that at all, so long as it was his was investigative case work that he was talking about.
‘Don’t worry. That will be fine. Let’s just concentrate on getting you better.’
‘Thanks, but we are a bit short of food, so you might need to pop out later.’
And so, as they made their way out to the car Jane pushed the wheelchair just a little bit faster than was absolutely necessary.
Hall’s phone rang before they were half way home.
‘DCI Hall.’ Jane turned to him, hoping that it was work. It obviously was. ‘Yes, ma’am, I see. But I’m afraid I’m not going to be much use to anyone for the next few days. I’ve damaged my knee rather badly, so I’m going to be laid up at home until the swelling goes down a bit.’ Hall listened again, took the phone away from his ear and made a V-sign at it. Jane laughed, as quietly as she could. ‘Yes, ma’am, it is inconvenient, but I do have a suggestion. I may not be able to travel out to Workington but I can still use a computer and a phone, so why don’t I manage the case from home?’ He listened again. ‘I’ll try not to let you down, ma’am, and thank you for saying so. But I agree with you that DI Smith and DS Hodgson can’t take any further active part in this investigation. They’re just too close to what happened, in every sense. So I’d like to suggest that DS Mann and DS Francis run the investigation on the ground.’
It was a long time before Hall spoke again. ‘So you need a recommendation as to who should be acting SIO, ma’am? Well, Ian is the more senior officer in terms of experience and time in post.’ Jane braked a little harder than she needed to as she approached the next roundabout. ACC Gorham was obviously saying something now, and Jane held her breath. ‘I agree, Jane has all of the attributes that you’ve noted, but you do know that we are in a relationship? Jane is driving me home from hospital now, in fact. So I’m hardly objective on this point, and that’s something that Ian will be all too aware of. But ultimately it’s your decision, and if you’re happy for me to make that clear to both officers, then I have nothing further to say. They’re both outstanding detectives, and either would do an excellent job.’ Hall listened again. ‘I’ve got absolutely no doubt that they will work together in harmony, ma’am. They’re both highly professional officers, and Jane will make a first-class SIO.’
Jane drove like God’s chauffeur until they reached home, and Andy told her what he knew about the case. ‘Gorham has arranged for you and Ian to attend a team briefing in the morning, the Super at Workington knows you’re coming already, and facilities are sorting out a hotel for you both. So you’re all set.’
‘Fantastic.’ She reached across and took his hand. ‘But will you be all right, Andy?’
‘Of course. It’ just a twisted knee, at the end of the day. Bloody painful though.’
‘Of course it is. Bound to be, love. When we get inside you rest up and I’ll go and do that shopping, how’s that? Maybe I’ll get you a few treats.’
‘Don’t do that, for Christ’s sake. The whole idea of this was to lose weight, not put it on.’
‘We’ll see. And you’ll phone Ian while I’m out, will you?’
‘Yes, I will. At least he can’t come round and duff me up, what with me being injured and everything.’
‘Do you honestly think it would make any difference to the outcome, even if you were fighting fit?’
‘No, of course not. I just meant he wouldn’t hit a wounded man. That would run completely counter to his whole code of honour.’
She couldn’t tell if Hall was hurt by her comment about his lack of physical prowess or not. She thought he probably was.
‘Come on, let’s get you inside and settled in bed. I expect you’ll have read and memorised the entire case file by the time I get back from the shops. I don’t know about your knee, but there’s not too much wrong with your brain, Andy Hall. And it’s the sexiest bit of the body. Everyone knows that.’
‘I bet you say that to all the boys.’
‘Hardly. I’m a copper, remember.’
They both laughed, although Hall stopped and winced as he tried to get out of the car. He couldn’t quite remember when he could take his next painkiller, but it couldn’t come soon enough.
As soon as Jane had gone he phoned Ian Mann. He started by telling him about his accident and Mann tried, briefly, to sound sympathetic. And then he told Hall a particularly grisly story about something that had happened to a mate of his during the first Gulf war. Hall wasn’t entirely sure how it was supposed to make him feel better, and it most certainly didn’t.
‘But that’s not why I called, Ian.’
‘Oh, aye. What’s the craic then?
‘I’ve had the ACC on the phone, wanting us to take on that death at Uppies and Downies on Friday.’
‘I heard about that. What a shame. It’s just a bit of harmless fun, usually.’
‘Compared to what? Nuclear war?’
Mann laughed. ‘Well, I thought so, anyway.’
‘So you’ve played?’
‘Oh aye, three or four times. When I was a bit younger, like. Really enjoyed it too.’
‘But you’re Kendalian. How do you know if you’re an Uppie or a Downie? I thought it was handed down from father to son.’
‘That doesn’t matter. Not really. Me and a couple of mates just used to rock up and ask around and find out which side was weakest that year, then we played for them. I had the chance to hail the ball once, but I passed it to one of the local lads. They get to keep it, see.’
‘So you’re up for a trip up there to work the case? The ACC has stood the DI and the DS in Workington down, because they were in the scrum when it happened. So they might be tempted to call it accidental she reckons, just to avoid any repercussions.’
‘Shit.’
‘Exactly. But in fairness they had a tip that the two local underworld chiefs had their lads settling their differences in the game on Friday. That’s why they were there, or so they say.’
‘Last man standing was it, that sort of thing?’
‘More or less.’
‘So who’s SIO, if the dynamic duo have been stood down, like?’
Hall hesitated. He’d expected the question, but he needed to re-frame his answer.
‘I’m taking charge managerially, so the strategic input will come from me. That should also help us keep DI Smith safely in his box, since I out-rank him.’
‘Aye, but who’ll be taking charge on the ground? Is a DI coming over from HQ? Not one of the sodding paper-pushers I hope.’
‘No, not that. It’s going to be Jane.’
The pause was long, and ominous, even by Mann’s standards.
‘For fuck’s sake, Andy. What geni
us came up with that decision? Don’t tell me it was you.’
‘No, it was the ACC. I told her that you were the more experienced officer, and then she told me her decision.’
‘And you just rolled over?’
‘I told her that either of you would do a good job, and that you were the more senior and experienced officer, but she had obviously made her mind up.’
‘The bloody girls’ club again then, is it?’
Hall started to laugh, and then realised that Mann wasn’t joking.
‘Come on, mate. The force isn’t exactly known as a feminist collective, is it?’
‘It’s bloody going that way.’
Hall paused for a moment. Mann was calming down. He could hear it in his voice.
‘But you’ll be all right? With Jane acting up as SIO?’
‘With your live-in girlfriend telling me what to do, you mean. Aye, it’ll be reet. It’ll just bloody have to be now, won’t it?’
‘I appreciate it. And the fact that you’ve played the game before has to be a good thing. I’ll let Jane know.’
‘Just as long as I’m not expected to go undercover again, Andy. Because you know what happened last time.’
‘I do. And if I remember rightly there are some fairly tall buildings in west Cumbria, just perfect for you to throw a couple more people off.’
‘Very funny. And so me and Jane need to get out there in the morning?’
‘Yes. If you want to come round here you can drive up together.’ Hall paused for a moment. ‘I expect Jane will expect to ride in the back, though.’
This time Mann did laugh.
‘I hope your leg falls off, you bastard.’
Monday, 21st April
DC Keith Iredale had driven in to work feeling like he had a hangover, and a bad one at that. Maybe it was the lack of sleep, perhaps it was the take-aways that he’d shared with the team at work; probably it was a bit of both. But either way he was knackered, and the last thing he wanted was for the DI to call him into his office as soon as he got in. But that’s precisely what happened.
Hail and Farewell (The Lakeland Murders) Page 3